The aviation advisor to President Balaguer, José Luis Abraham, in a statement explaining the government’s policies during the past 10 years, said that the nation, including the tourist industry and the new government have to choose from favoring “open skies” or protecting the development of airlines in which local investors participate. He said the nation must stop being ambivalent, because that has resulted in the present confusion.
Sectors have favored the privatization of Dominicana de Aviación with a strong foreign partner, the development of airlines with the participation of Dominican capital and foreign partners, or a true open skies policy.
José Luis Abraham also pointed out how tourism has grown under the latest Dr Balaguer administrations. “In 1986 the volume of passengers transported through the international airports in the country reached 1,829,260. In 1995, that volume reached the considerable figure of 4,224,716, including both arrivals and departures. An increase of almost 230%. “